How do I manage my private gallery in 2017 version using the registry like it did in vs 2015?

How to manage a private gallery using registry settings https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh266735.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

The article above details how I do it in 2015 by modifying the registry, but the problem is that VS no longer stores this information in the registry (I don't think so). It used to be in the ExtensionManager folder in 2015 versions ([HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ VisualStudio \ 12.0 \ ExtensionManager \ Repositories ...), but this folder no longer exists (along with 30 others that are missing).

Presumably VS stores them in a private registry:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/extensibility/breaking-changes-2017#visual-studio-registry

I don't understand if I can use the registry the same way I used to, and if not, what is the recommendation for the easiest way to do it ... we basically use the registry to install our private VS in developers just by clicking the .reg file. so they don't have to install this themselves ... actually the same as in this answer: Programmatically specify the Private Extension Gallery in Visual Studio 2012

I would rather not create food for the atom, but if this is the last resort, then I am all ears.

thank